Taking a look back at Zach Parise's time with the Devils

By Dave Turner | Nov 1, 2013 | 2:55PM

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It's easy for fans to still be mad at old No. 9, even an entire year since he left. The fact is, there are some who will never forgive Zach Parise for going back to his home state of Minnesota to play with the Wild.

Point-Counterpoint: Will The Devils Make The Playoffs?

By Corey Griffin | Apr 12, 2013 | 8:33AM

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The last time the Devils were in the midst of a lengthy losing streak, Pat Pickens and I got together and debated whether the Devils were in real trouble. Pat was a little more optimistic than me, although we both saw a chance for redemption. Then Ilya Kovalchuk got hurt and the Devils went off the rails. With eight games left, Pat and I faced a simple questions: Will the Devils make the playoffs? What follows is a quick answer to that question followed by a debate over why it happened, how to fix it and whether Pete DeBoer should be part of the solution or on the chopping block.

Postgame Thoughts: Bruins 5, Devils 4 (4/10/13)

By Corey Griffin | Apr 11, 2013 | 12:24AM

This one hurts as much as a Zdeno Chara slapshot to the wrist. While the rival (and eighth-place) Rangers won in a shootout to move four points head of the Devils, New Jersey lost what felt like a microcosm of their entire season. There was the awful start, injuries to key players affecting the team and the Devils coming up just short of a tie game and a guaranteed point in overtime. Like I said, this one hurts. Some thoughts...

Fragile: It's a word Pete DeBoer used to describe his team after the Devils allowed three early goals despite the Bruins taking four penalties in five minutes AND Martin Brodeur stopping a penalty shot. It seemed a wildly appropriate description for a team that has been known to cave at the end of periods, surrender goals in bunches and lose their heads in their own zone. There's a reason why the Devils always seem to play better after DeBoer calls a timeout. He can read whether they need a kick in the ass or a moment to breathe and then suddenly, they look like a different team. It happened tonight and it's happened countless other times this season. The team's psyche is fragile and they don't have enough extraordinarily talented players on the roster to carry them through rough patches. Without Ilya Kovalchuk, it's a collection of "guys" -- some with high-quality talent, but most without. A "fragile" team combined with a limited roster is a bad combination and it's why they've gone one two very bad losing streaks this season. This is not a team that can answer the bell and fight through adversity, which is so strange since it's nearly the same team as last year's that basically made adversity its 24th man on the bench. THIS is where we're seeing and feeling the loss of Zach Parise, who's attitude, work ethic and willingness to buy in no matter what would drive the Devils through difficult times. Maybe Travis Zajac or Adam Henrique will get there some day, but they're not there now.

Postgame Thoughts: Bruins 1, Devils 0 (4/4/13)

By Corey Griffin | Apr 4, 2013 | 10:35PM

If you can play better in a loss, I'd like to see it. OK, maybe if you scored some goals, but I'm not sure how much more the Devils could've done tonight. They dominated puck possession, neutralized the Bruins' offense and put tons of pucks on net -- all to come up with nothing. Even worse, with the way things are unfolding around the East, they've fallen out of the playoff picture for now. Not a good night, to say the least. Some thoughts...

Everything but the kitchen sink: The Devils did it all tonight. They threw pucks at the net, they deked the Bruins out of their jocks (Andy Greene says "Hi" Shawn Thornton) and they had Tuukka Rask running all around his crease. Yet, at the end of the day, it was a zero on the scoreboard. While I've spent countless posts here lamenting the Devils' lack of a finisher, never was it more apparent than tonight. Say the Devils didn't get "puck luck" and I'll say you're being naive. Tell me the Devils should've scored four times tonight and I'll respond, "But they didn't." None of this is to say the Devils played poorly in the offensive end; it was quite the opposite. The Devils did so many things well tonight, reducing the Bruins (arguably the second-best team in the East) to nothing more than partners in an optional skate. But the one thing they didn't do outweighs all the positive because this time of the year isn't about "building." Just like coffee, April is for closers, which is one thing the Devils have been woefully lacking since January 19. There's no relying on Ilya Kovalchuk's return. It's not coming "anytime soon," according to Pete DeBoer. That means "future Hall of Famer" Patrick Elias, "budding power forward" David Clarkson and promising young centers Travis Zajac and Adam Henrique need to start putting pucks into the net. Devils fans ask if this team can make a run like last season but tonight was 60 minutes worth of reasons why they might not even get the chance.

Why are the Devils struggling in shootouts?

By Pat Pickens | Mar 3, 2013 | 12:00PM

Tuukka Rask stones Marek Zidlicky in the Devils' first shootout loss on Jan. 29 in Boston. New Jersey is 0-3 in shootouts this year.

The Devils' five overtime-losses are tied for the most in the NHL.

In fact, since claiming their first OT win-- 3-2 over Washington on Jan. 25-- New Jersey's lost five straight overtime contests. Their most recent OT loss, a 4-3 shootout defeat at the Eastern Conference's No. 12 seeded Buffalo Sabres, gained New Jersey its 25th point but left the Devils searching for answers.

Buzz: Will Zach Parise Be Able To Turn Down Minnesota?

According to Pro Hockey Talk, former Minnesota North Stars GM Lou Nanne was on the radio and said that he thinks the Minnesota Wild will make an offer to Zach Parise that he won't be able to turn down.

?I had dinner with [Wild owner] Craig Leipold on Wednesday night,? Nanne said. ?I know Chuck Fletcher and Leipold really want Parise, and what Craig told me is how hard he?s going to go after him, and the kind of money he?s going after him [with] ? I don?t see how Parise?s not coming here.

Buzz: Zach Parise Will Be Playing Somewhere Else And Likely Get a Brad Richards Type of Contract

In the NY Post, Larry Brooks writes that if the Devils lose tonight, it is likely the last time that Zach Parise will put on a Devils jersey.

Brooks says that Parise, 28, could attract offers of up to 12 years in a front loaded contract likely to have bonuses and mimic the contract that Brad Richards signed with the Rangers last summer.

Richards signed a nine year contract worth $60 million that pays him $24 million over his first two years, $18 million of which is paid in signing bonuses. If the NHL has a lockout this season, Richards would still make $8 million from his signing bonus.

Devils-Rangers Game 3 Preview

By erikruff | May 19, 2012 | 10:17AM

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After being shutout in Game 1 the Devils knew that there were changes that needed to be made if they were going to get back in this series. The changes helped which gave the Devils a 3-2 victory in Game 2. They were getting more bodies in front of Henrik Lundqvist who saw every shot in Game 1. By getting bodies in front lead to 2 Devils' goals including the game winning redirect from David Clarkson. Another big adjustment the Devils needed to make from Game 1 was controlling the flow of play in the 3rd period. Game 1 the Devils surrendered the first goal of the game 53 seconds into the 3rd to Dan Girardi. They didn't allow that to happen in game 2 out shooting the Rangers 10-8in the 3rd period. If the Devils want to win Game 3 they will have to make sure Lundqvist can't see a thing and control the pace of play the whole game but most importantly the 3rd period.

Read: Making A Run At Zach Parise This Summer

At ESPN Insider, Craig Custance writes about how the playoffs are helping to shape the market for impending free agents Ryan Suter and Zach Parise.

Custance writes that the Red Wings are expected to make an aggressive push for Parise as will the Minnesota Wild, where Parise would return to his home state.

He adds that the Rangers are expected to make a push and cites the relationship that Parise and John Tortorella have from the 2012 Olympics as something that could possibly give the Rangers an advantage.

Photo Of The Game: Devils Wrap It Up

By erikruff | May 9, 2012 | 12:07PM

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The Devils wrapped up their series against the Philadelphia Flyers in 5 games with a 3-1 victory last night. The Devils wait to see who their next opponent is in the Eastern Conference Finals. They will play either the New York Rangers or the Washington Capitals. Swarm it up!

Read: A New But Some What Old Style Devils Team

By erikruff | May 9, 2012 | 9:53AM

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As the Devils finished off the Philadelphia Flyers I had thought about the beginning of this series and I thought that the Devils were going to be steam rolled by a very physical Flyers team. Since the Flyers had run over the Pittsburgh Penguins with some what of ease, I thought worse for the Devils since they barely could get passed the Florida Panthers. Five games later I was proved wrong and boy was I glad to be wrong.

The personality of ?coach Pete DeBoer really came through against the Flyers that really has not been seen in New Jersey in quite some time. He is a tough coach to read. ?The Devils were a tough team to read for the Flyers as they would try to break into the Devils' zone but would be caught in the neutral zone making it impossible to generate any offense. DeBoer always has a calm look on his face. The Flyers would try to pull the Devils into their game of getting the Devils to play agitated hockey but they had nothing of it. They played whistle to whistle and level headed which didn't get them into penalty trouble. DeBoer wanted to bring a more offensive style of hockey to a defensive driven team. The Devils had the right mix of offense (scoring at least 3 goals a game in the series) and defense (allowing 11 goals over the 5 games). ?But what really separates this Devils team from prior playoff teams is the fact the Devils were able to establish a forecheck that I had never seen before. Their forecheck was relentless against a physical Flyers team which ultimately lead to the demise of the Flyers.

Read: ESPN Power Rankings Week 27

By erikruff | Apr 2, 2012 | 2:11PM

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ESPN has posted their weekly power rankings. The Devils have moved up 5 spots from last week to the 8th spot. ?The Devils have been playing better from last week including winning their last 3 games over the Blackhawks, Lightning and Hurricanes. They are hitting stride at a good time right before the playoffs.

Discuss: Devils Are Ideally Right Where They Should Be

By erikruff | Mar 19, 2012 | 11:53AM

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If the season where to end today the Devils would finish 6th in the East. This is a huge improvement for the Devils after failing to make the postseason last year. Many critics doubted the Devils and Pete DeBoer making the postseason but the Devils have quieted those critics. Yes the Devils have had their ups and downs but to finish 6th would be a great spot for the Devils to possibly advance deep into the postseason.

If the postseason where to start today, the Devils would play the Florida Panthers who are trying to make the playoffs for the first time since 1999-2000 season. If you recall the Devils won the Cup that season. Now I am not saying that will happen again but I think the Panthers are the team the Devils can possibly get over to make it up to the 2nd round. Florida will force the Devils to play their best otherwise it would be another disappointing postseason for the Devils. Believe it or not this is one of the most important postseasons in franchise history due to the fact that if the Devils don't make a good run they might not be able to convince Zach Parise, who wants to win more than anything, to stay with the Devils after this season. An early playoff disappointment may spell the end of Parise's career in New Jersey.

So if I were the Devils I would be happy right where they are in the standings because they silenced the critics who said they couldn't make the postseason. Also playing Florida would be a great opponent to get the Devils in playoff form to make a strong run and keep the face of the franchise.

Fact Of The Day: Blown Leads No Big Deal For Devils

By erikruff | Feb 22, 2012 | 4:36PM

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So far this season the Devils have blown 13 3rd period leads. Of those 13 games, 6 have been decided in a shootout, 5 in overtime and 2 in regulation. The Devils are 4-2 in shootouts and 4-1 in overtime. So when it comes to crunch time for the Devils they some how know how to steal that extra point.

By erikruff | Feb 20, 2012 | 12:21PM

Read: ESPN Power Rankings Week 21

By erikruff | Feb 20, 2012 | 11:38AM

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ESPN has posted their power rankings for the week. After how well the Devils have been since the All Star break it should not surprise anyone that they have cracked the top 5 in the power rankings and 4th place in the East. The Devils offense has been phenomenal, scoring almost at will. ESPN points out at the Devils have not given up 3 goals in almost a month. The Devils can thank the strong play of their defense and Martin Brodeur returning to a form we have come to know from the future Hall of Famer.